A THOUSAND YEARS, niklaus mikaelson.

QUATRE

QUATRE. a whirlpool of emotions

Silence. Looks of shock and confusion wash over their faces. Eyes wide. Brows furrowed. Jaws slightly dropped.

"I thought I told you to stay outside."

"But I could never listen, could I? Not even to him," she confesses, gesturing to the flaming Mikaelson patriarch outside of the house before giving him a smug smirk. He chuckles, shaking his head while everyone else watches the two interacting with each other, confused as to who this mysterious girl was to act like this with the big bad hybrid.

"Are you hurt? Did any of the hybrids touch you? I will rip their limbs apart and scatter them throughout the country if they laid a-" However, before he could utter out any more concerns, Cassia cuts him off, teasingly asking, "has anyone ever told you that you're just a tad bit overdramatic?"

Klaus deadpans at her, "not to my face. Why?" Her lips slightly curve up before she rolls her eyes and resumes, "God, relax, Nik, I'm fine. Do not forget that I am an Original too."

As if the rest of the people in the room's eyes couldn't get any wider, they somehow managed it. Their eyes widened to the size of saucers at the newfound information, continuing to wonder about the newest original that had miraculously shown up just in time to aid Klaus to kill the notorious father of the original family.

***
Ready to sleep for a few days, Cassia tiredly trudges to one of the beds in Klaus and her's shared hotel room. Her eyes glance over at the Mikaelson who sat on the bed beside her, the latter's eyes glazed over, deep in thought.

"Nik?"

With a weak smile, he turns to look at her, stating, "rest, love. Big day tomorrow." Yet, the Sterling seemed to see right through his facade, watching him as a hand fiddled with one of his necklaces, specifically, the necklace she gifted to him so long ago. A rare action he did when the Mikaelson became conflicted, lost in thought. Confused, the girl moves to his bed, sitting beside him, a look of realization claiming her face.

"He wasn't right." Her voice was soft, no pity hinted in her tone. Klaus only turned, suggesting that he was now listening. "Mikael. I heard what he said to you, back at the dance," she clarified. Leaning her head o his shoulder, she continued, "He is wrong, Nik. So wrong. Elijah and Rebekah care about you. All of your siblings care about you even beneath all the hostility they've shown you. They care. I care. You aren't him nor will you ever be him."

He didn't know what to think much less what to tell her. The hybrid couldn't help but wonder how he deserved the girl beside him, the unwavering loyalty she had towards her. Why care about someone so broken? So monstrous? Klaus couldn't possibly understand it. Though he is unbelievably grateful, if it weren't for her, he would've lost any sliver of his humanity ages ago... well whatever was left of it. So he just resorts to kissing her head, letting her know just that, that he was grateful to an unimaginable extent nobody could even comprehend.

Choosing to change the subject, he voices, "it's finally time to reunite my family, little rose." The girl, shifting her head to glance up at him, "really?!" He nods, confirming his statement. "Now that he's gone, nothing is stopping me anymore." A bright grin lighting up her entire face as she expresses her joy, "this is great, Nik!" Turning her head back forward, she sighs contently, "I've missed them."

Her smile falters slightly as she starts overthinking, "do you think they have forgotten about me? You know since they thought I was dead and all." Though, Klaus is quick to assure her, "No, they wouldn't have. No one would ever be able to forget you, little rose. I'm sure Rebekah will be more than delighted to have her honourary sister back and Elijah, ever the buzzkill, his oldest friend, back from the dead."

Cassia resists the urge to roll her eyes at his nickname for his older brother as she nods. "Finally, I won't have to deal with you all alone." The Mikaelson playfully scoffing, retorting with his own harmless threat, "Careful, love. Might just have to wait another decade for that comment." Narrowing her eyes, the girl disregards his remark and adds, "You would not dare. No offence, but you, Niklaus, are quite the hand full to handle without them."

***
Sauntering happily to the truck holding the daggered Mikaelson siblings, she turns to the original hybrid and excitedly thanks him for finally undaggering them, eager to see them all again. "No need to thank me, love. Mikael is gone which means there are no more threats dangerous enough to keep them in these coffins."

She smiles before asking, "how do you think they are going to react to me? I mean it has been over 1000 years." "I assure you that they will welcome you with open arms. Just like they always have." Her smile widens at him as a response before she starts to walk toward the truck.

A light sound buzzes from Klaus's phone signalling an incoming call from it. Too focused on undaggering her friends that she considered family, Cassia decides to let Klaus talk to the caller while she undaggers his siblings.

Expecting to find five coffins, she lifts the truck door.

Her everlasting smile disappears and her eyes widen at the sight of the empty truck with no coffins insight. Frozen in place, she calls out to Klaus in an uneasy tone. "Everything alright, love?" He walks over and peers into the truck. Stunned, he mutters, "no."

Realizing that the disappearance of the coffins had something to do with the person Klaus' speaking to, Cassia uses her supernatural hearing to listen in.

"What's the matter, Klaus? Missing something?"

Filled with rage, Klaus demands, "what are you doing?"

"Just enjoying my freedom."

"I will kill you and everyone you've ever met!" He threatens.

"You do that, and you will never see your family again. I wonder Klaus, as someone who has been one step ahead for a thousand years...are you prepared for this?"

The italics are the person on the phone with Klaus aka Stefan if it wasn't obvious. This is a really short chapter cause I had writer's block and didn't know what the hell to do and how to make them longer without making them boring even if they are already because these scenes were necessary. Not only is it short but it's shitty too. I'm gonna try to make the next one not as horrible but no promises. Also sorry for no update, there should've been two new chapters by now might even do a double update to make up for it though. Hope y'all had a happy holiday! - S